Ablaze: The Fall of Roses
by SantanaChampagn
Summary: The fall of Ruby Rose. AU right before the the doubles round begins in the Vytal Tournament.
1. Beginnings

**A/N**

 **Hey guys! I'm trying something a bit new here. This is going to be a darker topic than what's going on with A Crack in the Ice. For one, this isn't fluff feel good shipping. This is going to get dark, gritty and bloody. If that's not your thing, awesome! Feel free to stop reading here. However, if you want to continue on, I hope you enjoy the first part of this story.**

* * *

They say that at the end of the darkest night, light will rise. The sun will crest the twilight and the day will start anew, as a symbol of hope, for those foolhardy enough to believe in such nonsense. People take comfort in the light, because the light reveals the known. They hide behind that guise as though the warmth will protect them from their problems. A belief in such brightness to cure the pains they suffer or the despair that overwhelms them.

How utterly ridiculous.

Lights are nothing but fleeting aspirations to be crushed, for those that burn the brightest also burn the shortest. Nothing more than a lie the authorities use to keep the masses in check or have the constant fear and panic destroy these so called havens. Light has no more substance than those fickle hopes people hold onto so dearly.

But light has the potential to turn into something greater: flame. When left unchecked and allowed to smolder, light will spark a flame stronger than any optimism, any hope, and any dream. It brings all of them together in a grand display of expectations only to be consumed as fuel for the bonfire. The result is a blaze strong enough to engulf the world, leaving nothing behind but a trail of broken souls with crushed prospects and ash.

When the blaze is but embers and ruins, the light will be no more. The dark will assume its rightful place over the world, seating itself on a throne vacated for so long. Darkness will creep over the remnants of the destruction, infiltrating spaces that were denied for so long. Shadows that nipped at the heels of the light overtake areas now barren of the comforting glow. A glorious sight, as people who hid from unknown void are consumed in the complete blackout.

Those people are fools. To seek shelter from the darkness? Pointless. Do they not realize that within its embrace, they can mold their own reality? For in the dark, the mind shapes any path desired away from the prying eyes who fear that power. In the light, what's known is known. Creativity stifled by authority. The status quo refuses to budge. Within the depths of the black cloak, any desire can be achieved. The darkness is more fulfilling that the light ever was. The possibilities are endless.

I had been blind for so long, sheltered from by those who "cared" for me. What a joke. They left me alone, when I needed comfort. They abandoned me when I needed them most, too caught up in their own business. I wanted vengeance for the events that transpired, only to be chided back into due diligence and told to let others handle the situation. I seethed on my hatred. I wanted to be released.

I was _nothing_ until she freed me. I struggled against the freedom she brought to me. I called it corruption, unable to comprehend the thoughts she whispered to me. I screamed to be saved, not realizing she was the one saving me. She showed me the realities of the world and the harshness buried behind closed doors. My eyes opened under her guidance; her tutelage answered questions others left refused to acknowledge.

I know who I am now. A crimson reaper reforged under her fire, bringing the world my master's eternal nightfall.

* * *

With Torchwick locked up by General Ironwood, Cinder's plan progressed as smoothly as she originally predicted. Atlas overreacted, moving a majority of their fleet toward Beacon to secure the tournament site. In reality, it was nothing more than a show of strength that inadvertently caused the Atlas forces to be spread even thinner. Yet, there had been a slight adjustment in her scheme moving forward.

Even though he was somewhat of a dimwit, Torchwick was another able body that could hold his own in a fight. While his loss was not pivotal, a replacement needed to be found to fill the gap. With the tournament progressing, Cinder thought she would have an easy time picking out a young huntsman or huntress to stand with her in the coming days. After all, the youth are easily turned against those they trust when their ideals and beliefs are thrown for a loop. All it takes is a seed of doubt, easily planted with a silver tongue.

Cinder rose from her seat in the stadium, an empty popcorn bowl dangling from her hand. She watched the tournament in hope of finding new talent, but was sorely disappointed when the matches were less than thrilling. Not that her hopes were lofty. Ultimately, she pulled the strings of this combative puppet show. The matches the fans watched were nothing more than advancing a plan she meticulously worked on.

She knew to be patient from previous attempts at this sort of power play, although nothing at this scale. After the incident in Vacuo, Cinder was in no rush. Never play the hand first dealt and be willing to lose chips until the payoff. Study the players at the table, read their tells and abuse them. Render what advantages they think are there useless and carefully eliminate each one from the game. After all this was nothing more a game to Cinder. The glory was never gained in one decisive round but a slow incremental grind. Gains and losses would litter the way to the storybook finish.

Simple concepts that many people refused to grasp. That's what made this time different from the others. Cinder wasn't learning the game as she went along, making grave errors at each juncture. Here, Cinder wrote the rules while the rest of Vale, Atlas, the Huntsman, and even her own accomplices worked to piece together what tale she weaved from the shadows.

As she exited the stadium toward the fairground, Cinder caught sight of something peculiar. Mint green hair stood out as she spotted Emerald talking with a familiar face, a short girl with red hair. A girl who had caused considerable problems for Cinder's plan and accelerated her breach at Vale. Across from her subordinate was none other than Ruby Rose, who seemed to be locked in some sort of excited engagement with Emerald. After working with her for so long, Cinder read through Emerald's fake demeanor enough to know she was clearly annoyed. Ruby's upbeat and bubbly attitude was wearing Emerald's patience thinner by the minute, but thankfully for both the conversation ended as the parties went separate ways.

A small smirk formed on Cinder's face. Maybe she had been looking in the right places after all, but too focused on the other competitors. After all, Ruby was one of the most gifted young students at Beacon. The potential of her was near limitless, if under the correct guidance. An idea slowly formed in Cinder's mind as the details worked themselves out. A delicious little scheme if pulled off. Sometimes, Cinder knew that the chips fall as they may and she would accept the lumps that came afterwards. But this? Cinder had played this game long enough to recognize that if dealt a royal flush, the correct line isn't to go all in. No, that would be a dead giveaway to the intent. Rather, feign a lesser hand and surprise them when they were sure victory was within reach. In the end, watch with joy as they toil in despair as their most precious chips are lost.

 _And what a fitting chip to take. The fall of Ruby Rose. How delightful._

* * *

The training room was quiet, save for a blur of red and black that fiercely attacked the practice dummies with deft strikes from Crescent Rose. Watching the young Rose go through her exercises was akin to watching a ballet, each strike and movement almost predetermined as part of a routine. The fluidity of her scythe movements showcased years of practice, a true dance of death.

Scythe users were rare. Her mentor and uncle Qrow was one of the few who meddled with such an item. The weapon itself did not lend many advantages outside of the culling of groups of Grimm. With modifications, a high caliber rifle covered long range encounters while providing additional movement on the battlefield. At medium range, Ruby was able to handle hordes of Grimm at ease simply from master of her unique weapon. But in close? She could block, but unable to truly hold her own against another skilled opponent. Qrow had modified his scythe to be closer to a greatsword, only transforming when he truly needed the extra power. Ruby had not gotten to this advancement of her weapon

Which is why she was here in the training room rather than preparing herself for the doubles round of the Vytal tournament. Team RWBY decided to send both Yang and Weiss to advance, leaving Blake and Ruby to watch from the stands. While elated her team made it to the next round, she couldn't help but feel disappointment at not being able to take part. The decision was a correct one, one that she could not argue against nor wanted to argue. Weiss and Yang were the most versatile of the four, able to cover each other's weaknesses with enhancing their combat efficiency. Yang's expertise in close and medium range combat would be complimented nicely by Weiss's dust use at a safe distance.

Against all common sense, Ruby was still frustrated and rather than create a tense situation within the team, she chose to come to the training room to blow off some steam.

As she lowered her weapon to holster, waves of thoughts washed over her. She should have been in the next round as team leader. She could have trained harder to be more useful to her team. Self doubt and pity filled her head as she walked to a bench to grab the rest of her gear when she heard light clapping behind her. Startled, Ruby let out a yelp and jumped at the sudden noise.

"Quite the show, Ruby was it?" complimented Cinder, who sat on the opposite side of the room.

Ruby let out a sigh of relief at the sight, but couldn't quite remember where she had seen the stranger. "Ha, thanks. Scared me there. Wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"Didn't mean to frighten you. I hoped to get some training in myself, but it seems you beat me to it," replied Cinder. "By the way, impressive win earlier. I take it you're preparing for the doubles round?" A question to which Cinder already knew the answer.

"I… uhh. No." Her voice faltered slightly in response, a hint of sadness present. "Nope! Not me." Ruby finally remembered where she had seen the young woman. She was part of the team from Haven that got lost on the way to the dorms. And their match earlier. She winced at the memory of the short girl in black stomping on her opponent. An impressive, but brutal, victory.

"Such a shame, you clearly are skilled enough from what I just watched," smiled Cinder. "I was down here to do the same. I'm not moving on to the next round either."

Something in Cinder's voice calmed the huntress, setting her mind at ease. "Oh? I'm sorry to hear that. I thought you were quite good too… I never did catch your name." Ruby walked over to where Cinder was and extended a hand. "I'm Ruby! But you already seem to know that, heh."

"Pleasure Ruby. My name's Ember," said Cinder as she grasped Ruby's hand in a firm shake. "I have a feeling we're going to be good friends.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **And that's chapter 1! How'd you like it? Terrible? Awesome? Just ok? Let me know by leaving reviews, favoriting, following and all that jazz. This is going to update less frequently than Ice because I have a lot I want to plan out with this story and make sure it's done right. Thanks again for reading!**


	2. Motions

**A/N**

 **And here we go! Happy holidays everyone and I hope things are going well (:**

 **Enough of that. Here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

* * *

I could never understand why Ozpin wanted to so desperately to protect me. In my naivety, I called it protection. Now? I was nothing but another one of his pawns; a precious piece to the game he played with my master. A trump card if you will.

Such great ambitions he had planned for me. First the unprecedented appointment to team leader. Someone my age rarely attended the academy, let alone command a team. I was near the top of my class in combat and showed rapid improvement, much to the surprise of many. More than capable of handling my own, I was to be the next great huntress from Beacon. Maybe even the greatest, at least that was my goal when I arrived there. Ozpin set me up in every way imaginable to succeed.

Yet, nothing is ever at it seems. Within those lofty halls of that academy, the darkest secrets lay hidden and begged to be discovered. The Grimm were said to be our true enemy. The very ones we must constantly push back to keep the peace. How wrong were we to follow those orders. Nothing more than a simple distraction from what occurred right under our feet. But the lies I was told held me in place. I was complacent, not knowing the information I craved lie just beyond my reach. Until my master arrived, I would never have known better than to accept my spot in the bright light, blinding me in it's glow and keeping me in ignorant bliss.

Truthfully, the entire ordeal is humorous to me now. Ozpin tried so hard to keep secrets from us; a futile attempt to protect us from dangerous unknown. No. He had his own agenda, claiming to keep the world from falling in discord. The true danger was leading your charges into battle when they lack knowledge and understanding. Even if we were full fledged hunters and huntresses, information was denied to us. I never was or would have been on equal footing as those around me. I was a weapon to be used, abused and left discarded when I finally broke. Never did they think that the broken blade could be repaired. Their loss.

They call me traitor, but I was the one betrayed.

* * *

"Honest Mercury, you should have seen the look on her face when she heard that oaf with the sword was eliminated." Snickering came from one of the temporary tenants as Emerald scrunched her face in her best impression of the horror painted on Coco's face from their previous bout. "I swear I heard her whimper! What a joke."

Emerald sat on the floor of the dorm, hands propping herself up as she stretched her legs in front of her. Not that she was sore. The doubles round for her and Mercury had been a fairly simple task to handle. While Coco and Yatsuhashi may be top of their class at Beacon, to the trained killers this proved little challenge. There wasn't much depth to their strategy; the big one was to protect Coco as she gunned down everything in sight. Simplistic, to be sure, but up to that point effective due to how bad most of the other fighters were in comparison.

 _Hell, Mercury could have ended that by himself and quicker if Cinder hadn't wanted us to put on a show_.

Cinder told them to drag it out, not only for a bit of fun and entertainment, but to show that even the best of Beacon could be rendered helpless. Emerald was never one for flair. A thief from the day she was born, quick and quiet were the traits she loved more than anything. Never be anything more than the shadow on the wall and fast as the lightning that flashed. She couldn't remember who said that, but she always thought the saying had a nice ring to it.

"Don't be so mean, Em. I'm _sure_ they were trying their hardest," said Mercury from his bed. He laid on his stomach, flipping through the latest _X-Ray and Vav_ comic. Even though Emerald could see the straight face that looked down at the pictures, the sarcasm dripped off each and every word. Not that Emerald expected anything less from her partner. Cocky, sarcastic and a laid back attitude were just the wonderful qualities that came with a person like Mercury. Emerald was honestly surprised that Cinder put up with half the things he said or did. Her boss kept her on a tighter leash than that, making sure Emerald stay in line. With Mercury, she allowed more leniency. The differential treatment annoyed her, but she refused to voice her displeasure.

"Right… of course they were," replied Emerald, chuckling a bit as she shook her head. Mint green hair waved a bit with the movement but settled, spread out,t as she laid back on the floor joining Mercury in relaxation. "At least everything is still going to plan. After that idiot Torchwick nearly ruined everything, Cinder's taking things a bit more seriously."

"Let's hope it stays like that. Contrary to popular belief, I don't want any more work than necessary."

"And yet, you're the one going on to the singles round. Funny," joked Emerald.

On the floor, Emerald arched her back slightly which resulted in a satisfying cracking noise as the joints alleviated tension. With a content sigh, Emerald pushed herself back up onto her feet. Walking over to her desk, she flipped open her scroll to check if any new news had come in regarding to the breach incident, Torchwick, or anything that pertained to their plan. All seemed to be quiet as police and investigators were still running in circles to find a suspect. Emerald smiled at the lack of news while also a bit disappointed at the lack of action. The festival provided a brief way to exert her energy but Emerald wanted more. Even if she was the quiet, masterful thief, staying this low key for this long was starting to bother her.

She glanced over at the clock, noting how late in the day it was. "Hey Merc?"

"Yo."

"Isn't Cinder suppose to be back by now?" asked Emerald.

The grey haired boy looked up from his comic and smirked. "Aww, isn't that cute. Our little Emerald is worried about the boss," teased Mercury.

Her arms crossed as she narrowed her eyes toward the smug look at Mercury's face. "Hilarious. And I'm not worried. You don't think it's strange that she's spending so much time with that dork in red?"

Mercury turned back to the graphics in front of him and shrugged, "She does as she pleases. As long as everything is still in motion, I could care less how she spends her free time."

"That's the thing Merc. This is Cinder. She never has free time."

The room fell silent. Mercury never responded to Emerald's statement, instead falling back in the blissful ignorance of his story. Emerald never doubted Cinder, but her actions lately left her wondering what she really had planned. She rarely took an interest in anything outside her plans and work.

 _Cinder, what do you really want with her?_

* * *

The last few days had flown by for Ruby Rose. Even though she still had some socially awkward tendencies, Ruby had a knack for being fast friends with almost anyone. Running into Ember in the training room had been no exception. She had taken to the Haven student as she had with her own close group of friends, spending almost all her free time with Ember.

Ruby couldn't exactly explain why. She deferred to Ember's knowledge, being that she was a third year student with a lot more experience than herself. Although she tried not to pester too much, Ruby was constantly asking questions and trying to learn as much as she could while the exchange students were still at Beacon. With the Vytal Festival coming to a close within the coming weeks, the young huntress wanted to learn as much as she could from the older girl. There was something that was alluring within the Ember's amber eyes. The way she spoke contained so much self confidence and assurance within each word that Ruby couldn't help but be hung up on every little quip and sentence.

 _Maybe,_ Ruby thought, _it's also because we're so similar. Both sitting on the sidelines watching our teams fight_.

There was still resentment and disappointment within Ruby over the doubles round. Yes, she clearly was happy that they won and also concerned at the state Weiss had been in after the match up. Never would the Weiss of old sacrificed herself for another, let alone Yang of all people. That was a shock in itself. But the frustration still remained under her smile and cheerful attitude. Ruby would never consider venting her frustrations to her teammates over her selfishness. They were a team after all, not the one girl Ruby show.

 _Selfishness should never come before the benefit of the team._

A vital lesson she learned early on after she nearly was skewered by Nevermore feathers while trying to fight a Deathstalker by herself. All in an effort to prove to Weiss that she truly was worthy to her partner. In the end, the move worked in her favor but that did not mean her actions had been any less foolhardy.

However, in the company of Ember, Ruby talked at length about her irritation at the current situation.

"I just. Ugh. I feel like sometimes they still look down on me as a kid," confessed Ruby. The pair was currently sitting behind a work bench as Ruby went through the motions of cleaning Crescent Rose.

"You have every right to think so," agreed Cinder. "With as much talent as you have and young as you are, they're probably just jealous."

"But Yang was so happy when I was accepted early. Hey, can you pass that screwdriver over?" Ruby pointed to the red handled tool that was just out of reach. Cinder passed it over, brushing her arm gently against Ruby's as she did. Ruby's cheeks reddened at what she thought was accidental contact. "T-thanks."

"Sometimes, people mask their true emotions. You are a perfect example, Ruby. You tell me all of these frustrations you have, but have you mentioned any of this to your team?"

"Uh, no. I couldn't! It's me being selfish and childish," muttered Ruby. Turning back to her scythe, she began fastening the pieces back together. "If only everything was as easy as taking care of weapons."

Cinder chuckled at the statement. "Don't let them get to you. You are better than them. I've sparred with you. I can see how strong you are and how much potential is still there to grow." Cinder placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder, causing silver eyes to meet amber. "They're lucky to have you as their leader. I would be honored if you were on mine."

"Aww stop it, Ember!" Ruby glanced away from the compliment, too embarrassed to look back. "I'm really glad I ran into you in the training room. It's nice to know I can trust someone that isn't my team."

"Of course. That's what friends are for, right?" comforted Cinder.

Ruby nodded enthusiastically in response, "Yup! Thanks again for the help today."

"Help? Give yourself more credit. All I did was hand you a few tools."

"You've done more than you know," chirped Ruby, smiling down on her weapon. Within Ember's presence, Ruby felt safe and welcomed. She didn't care if she had known her friend for such a short time. There was almost an instant bond, uncanny and unexplainable.

Ruby's scroll beeped, breaking the moment. Flipping it out, a message from her team popped up. "Oh shoot, I'm late for dinner! Uh, I'll message you tonight, bye!"

In a flash of rose petals, Ruby bolted out the workshop door. Cinder shook her head at the sudden exit. She wished she could have a few more minutes with Ruby. After all, their time together was a ploy to plant ideas in her impressionable mind. With each conversation, Cinder wove a web of deceit and lies. Not that Ruby noticed. The redhead simply thought that Cinder was genuine in her friendship, unable to read beneath the guise.

After a quick glance around confirmed that she was alone, Cinder's hand glowed a bright orange before she waved it in front of her. Out of the dust formed an obsidian colored sword, resembling a scimitar with a front hand guard that protected the knuckles. At the end of the blade length, the sword vertically dropped into a small hook. Cinder turned the blade over in her hand, finding satisfaction in the weight. Too long had she gone without using her blade, committed to keep her presence on the low key. Not since the day she bugged the Atlas communications had she used her favorite toy.

Lifting it in front of the her face, the sheen of the blade reflected the glow in her eyes and a devilish smirk.

 _There's still so much for you to learn. And I will enjoy every moment of it._

With a flick of the wrist, the sword vanished into thin air. Cinder decided that it was time to move forward for her plan. A grin still adorned her face as she turned to return to her dorm. She supposed it was time to fill in Emerald and Mercury on how to proceed.

* * *

"I still can't understand why you bother with those comics." Emerald peered over Mercury's shoulder, catching a glimpse of the panels. "Seems so childish if you ask me."

He simply shrugged unfazed by her comments. "What can I say, I like the pictures." The dorm room door creaked before being swung open as Cinder walked in. "Oh, our illustrious leader graces us with her presence. Whatever do we owe the honor?"

Emerald, upon her Cinder entrance, straightened her posture and turned toward the door. The small smile on Cinder's face tightened slightly at Mercury's words. Seeing the change in expression, Emerald gave a light punch into the offending boy's shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?" cried Mercury.

Emerald glared back, but didn't address him. "Welcome back, ma'am."

"Relax, you two," purred Cinder, letting the stern look drop. "No need to be at each other's throats. We're a team after all."

"Of course, ma'am. How was your time out?"

"Absolutely wonderful," Cinder responded. She walked over to her desk, pulling her scroll out along the way. "Everything is going according to plan. Ozpin and Ironwood are none the wiser."

A few more taps on her scroll brought up a list of Beacon Academy student profiles. She slowly flicked through the list until she found the person she searched for. "And we'll shortly have a new player in the game."

Cinder turn her scroll around to Emerald, whose jaw dropped slightly, and Mercury, who chuckled at the image. Displayed on screen was a girl in a crimson cloak and a goofy smile plastered on her face.

Emerald spoke up first. "Ruby Rose? You can't be serious. The girl who nearly ruined our plans, got Torchwick locked up, and is Ozpin's pet project? You're _recruiting_ her?"

An eyebrow was raised at Emerald's questioning. "Mmm. I wouldn't say I'm recruiting her as much as she will join us. Willingly."'

"I still don't know about this." A hand moved up to pinch the bridge of Emerald's nose. "She's not even the strongest fighter at this academy. And don't even get me started on her upbeat attitude. How is she so happy, all the time!? Ugh."

"The only thing you need to know is your place, Emerald. Don't not question me."

"Of course ma'am," responded a sheepish Emerald.

Cinder continued, "However I will entertain your thoughts. Yes, she's not the strongest but she has more potential than anyone here. She can be molded into a powerful ally. Ozpin keeps her under his wing for good reason."

 _Of course,_ thought Cinder, _that's all you need to know Emerald. Ruby will be so much more than that._

"So what's the game plan?" asked Mercury, breaking his silence. He moved over to the bed and looked at the scroll held up by Cinder. "She's really devoted to her team, I don't think this is as easy as you're making it sound."

"You'll let me handle that part, Mercury." Cinder turned the scroll back toward her and stared into the silver eyes on the screen. "All I need you two is to do is finish this current phase of the plan."

"Alright, boss. Whatever you say."

"As you wish, ma'am."

A new message popped on screen. _From Ruby Rose_ read the glowing screen. Cinder couldn't ask for better timing.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find our favorite mute friend," mused Cinder. Standing up, she grabbed something out of the desk but neither Emerald or Mercury had an angle to identify the item. A haughty laugh left her lips as she moved to exit the room. "Be ready, the fireworks are about to begin soon."

* * *

Ruby lay in her bed unable to find the embrace of sleep. Lately, she found she was having trouble sleeping more often than not. As much as she tried to relax herself, uneasiness seemed to trump her exhaustion. Rolling on her side, she idly tapped at her scroll to see if Ember was still up.

All the time she spent with Ember and the talks they shared in private made Ruby truly wonder about her place in the team. Not that she doubted her team in the slightest. She would never do that. They were all so wonderful, even with their flaws. However, Ruby couldn't help but feel slighted. Maybe Ember was right. After all, she was indeed talented. As modest as Ruby could be, even she knew that for her age she was beyond what many would come close to being. She deserved to be showcased more.

Yet, the team had come to a consensus. Discussion was had about who should move on and why. It was all very logical and straightforward. The more she remembered the conversation, the more she doubted what happened. Now that she thought about it, Ruby never was in charge of that discussion. It had entirely been Weiss and Yang, both of whom so happened to move on.

 _Was that their plan from the start? To leave me in the stands to watch? No. That can't be right. That's crazy, Ruby. It doesn't even make sense why they would do that!_

 _Or would they? They're jealous of you._

Ruby frowned at this idea. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense in her mind. They always scoffed at her ideas, even when they agreed to them. While she was team leader, she played second fiddle to everyone else.

 _Am I supposed to be feeling this way? It feels… wrong. But right? I really don't know anymore._

Confusion set in as she closed her eyes once more. No response came back from Ember that night and another restless night passed by for Ruby.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So let me know what you think! Love it? Hate it? Should I retire from fanfiction? I want your feedback. Thanks for stopping by!**


	3. Catalysts

**A/N**

 **Oh baby, we're getting there folks. Still setting up, but man I'm excited. I hope you are too! Enjoy**

* * *

I often wonder why I keep writing these logs. This diary is nothing but a childish relic from a past I left behind in ash. Yet, I can't help but be drawn back to this old habit.

Is it a distraction from the constant violence and bloodshed? Initially, maybe. I've dulled to that now.

To remind myself that I'm not a monster that the world so much enjoys painting me as? Listening to that talk is pointless. I don't care for their opinions. Not anymore.

To retain the youth that I lost as soon as I entered the path to become a huntress? Innocence lost, but when did I truly have it to start with?

Any of these would be suitable answers, I suppose. No matter. None of that is important now.

The atmosphere leading up to the Vytal Festival finals was something that I won't forget. Not only for the intense competition that happened, but the overwhelming sense of comradery in the audience. People across Remnant came to watch their best compete against one another for the glory of being crowned champion, in place of a war long done. Even I was swept up in the excitement of the event. My hope of Yang winning outweighed my own selfish desires to be in the arena. I wanted a Vale champion. I wanted my sister to be victorious. I cheered with every ounce I had. It seemed like I had no choice but to cheer. She was my friend too, but that is no longer true.

I miss her. I miss all of them.

So many things happened in those days. I felt every emotion in that short span of time: elation, disbelief, anger, sadness, brokenness, isolation, betrayal. The entire range in such a short span. I never even thought that was possible.

I guess that's what kick started where I am now, as my master's right hand. She was the only one who believed in me. Everyone waited for me to fall, expected me to fall. Even Ozpin, who set me up to succeed, watched my progress with sad remorseful eyes. He thought I would go the way of my mother, a pointless death in a long line of tragedy. Another rose crushed under the weight of the world.

* * *

Cinder strolled down a boulevard in Vale, a light autumn breeze at her back. The sun dipped below the horizon as twilight approached. Shadows from alleyways stretched all around her, no longer pushed back by the sunlight, as if they were trying to engulf her in darkness. Cinder found comfort in their embrace, turning down one of these dim alleys. She lived in the shadows long enough, what did she have to fear from them?

No longer in the commercial district, Cinder continued to the residential area of Vale. In the city proper, there weren't many traditional single family homes. Those were farther out on the outskirts or small settlements, like Patch. Here, red bricked apartment buildings a couple of stories high lined the streets. Although, on the corner where Cinder stood, there was a rundown building that fell to neglect over the years. Many of the windows were boarded up and graffiti tattooed the cracked stone. Only a few tenants remained here; poor souls down on their luck with nowhere else to turn. A desolate bunch of folks that society turned a blind eye to. Drug addicts, thieves, and vagabonds were all abound here and left to their own devices. However, there was an exception.

The lock on the security door no longer worked as Cinder briskly entered the building. Constant break-ins rendered the secureness obsolete until finally the city council decided it wasn't worth the funds to keep in tact. A revolving door might have been a better option, in Cinder's mind, had it not been for the fact that glass had a mysterious habit of shattering in the complex.

Wilted, potted plants drooped in the corners of the lobby, failing to receive sufficient light or water. A sad reflection of life in this part of town. An "Out of Service" sign hung slanted in front of the elevator directly across the entryway as Cinder stepped toward it. She scoffed at the inconvenience, moving toward the stairs. Not that she thought it would be in functioning order.

 _But a girl can dream, right?_ She smirked to herself. _At least it's only six flights. But I'm having her fix that elevator for next time._

The stairway was dark, as it seemed everything was here. The few lights that were placed on the walls flickered and faded, never holding a constant glow. As with the outer walls, the inner walls were sprayed with more graffiti and profanities that climbed as Cinder ascended the stairs. In the corner on the fourth floor, a man lay passed out with an empty bottle next to him. Whether he was dead or alive was no concern to Cinder; he could deal with his own demons. There were more important matters that required her attention.

The sixth floor of the building drastically changed from the previous ones. The decay of the building suddenly stopped as though this floor was reverted back to as it was when it was first built. Bright new light fixtures were installed and the brick of stairway was restored to it's former red hue. A security camera traced her path as she made her way into the anomaly.

The hallway leading into where the apartments would have been was blocked by a new security door. After travelling through such a rundown building, the door seemed peculiar, if not completely misplaced. Cinder had been here before, though, and walked up to the keypad just to the right of the door, with numbers glowing bright white. Keying a combination, deadbolts and locks mechanically clicked and grinded behind the steel signalling success. The door swung open on it's own as Cinder strode through the doorway.

Where multiple apartments once resided, a single penthouse now had taken over the entire floor. Expansive and unnecessarily large, Cinder passed through the doorway into the room, a light pink painted on the walls. Nearly taking a step onto the white carpet, Cinder remembered the last time didn't remove her shoes. Not wanting another unpleasant experience, she slipped her heels off and placed them next to the doormat. After all, the owner of this luxury suite was a bit obsessive when it came to tidiness. And who was Cinder to disrespect those wishes?

"My darling Neo? Are you here?" Cinder called out to the apparently empty room. "I've got a job of interest for you."

Still, the apartment remained silent as Cinder walked to the far side of the room where a large picture window opened up to the view behind the building. From six stories up the entire town of Vale could be seen. People scattered below on the sidewalks like insects scuttling about their business. None the wiser to those who preyed above, happy in their blissful ignorance. To Cinder, such foolishness was disgusting.

Out of the corner of her eye, a reflection of a brown and pink hair split down the middle appeared in the glass.

"You know you really mustn't sneak up on people like that. You can never be sure of their reaction," Cinder said turning toward the girl, unfazed at the sudden appearance. Cinder's right eye glowed red before returning to it's normal amber. "You could get burned."

Neo had her way of being unnoticed, a trait Cinder grew accustomed to over the years since she found the girl on the streets. Heterochromic eyes, one pink and one brown, stared back at Cinder, swapping between the colors every few blinks. Even after their time together, not that Cinder would admit to anyone, there was something within those eyes that unnerved her. Perhaps related to the false smile that always remained on Neo's face. The girl was no danger to Cinder. There was just an unsettling feeling as she stared into a somewhat unknown in her plan. It was a feeling Cinder did not appreciate.

Neo gave a short bow in apology at Cinder's words followed by a quizzical raise of her eyebrow. Clearly, the news of a job had grabbed her attention.

"I required two things of you," said Cinder, motioned to a small black dining table to their left. The two sat across from one another as Cinder slid a disc to Neo. "First. This contains very important documents that weren't meant for public viewing. Thanks to the kindness of General Ironwood, we can now do as we please with them. I believe I know someone who would like to see them."

Neo examined the disc, twirling it in her fingers. Content, she motioned her hand for Cinder to continue her instructions.

"The recipient is Ruby Rose. I'm more than confident that you can find her by tonight." An amused smile crossed Neo's lips as she thought about a potential confrontation with Ruby's older sister. "And because I can see you're already thinking about it, there will be no confrontation between you and Ms. Xiao Long." The smile faded into a disapproving huff as Neo crossed her arms. "She's still required to our plan. Alive. Are we clear?"

Neo, still upset, took the disc and placed it into her white blazer. Patting the pocket to confirm it's safety, she nodded, looking back up to Cinder as expectant eyes waited for further instruction.

"Good. Second. I need you to shadow me tomorrow during the finals match." Again, Neo was confused at Cinder's instructions, scratching her head. In the past, she was told to shadow and guard Roman to make sure he stayed in line with Cinder's plan but never had she been asked to follow Cinder herself.

"Don't worry. I won't be in any sort of danger. I simply require your talents. I don't expect you to disappoint me." Neo shrugged at the comment, but nodded again in compliance. "That will be all." Cinder pushed back from the table and Neo followed suit, both walking to the door. "I take it you are leaving now to find our Rose?"

Pulling her umbrella off of the coat rack by the door, Neo giggled and smiled innocently back. With another bow, a high pitch sound cut through the laughter as a white flash flared where Neo once stood, leaving Cinder alone in the doorway.

* * *

Ruby sat alone on the dorm room floor, pieces of Crescent Rose scattered about in front of her. While she normally would take her precious scythe down to the workshop to make adjustments, Ruby didn't want to go out in public today. Taking a page out of Blake's book, she wanted to be by herself in silence of the room away from everything.

Blake and Yang had gone to the sparring room to go through some last minute drills for Yang before the finals tomorrow. Weiss had gone to see Winter one last time, even though Winter had returned to her ship. She muttered something about thanking her, but Ruby didn't quite catch the statement as Weiss ran out the room. Even Qrow had to go attend business with Ozpin and Ironwood, which left Ruby with no one to turn for company.

So here she sat, in her pajamas, tinkering with Crescent Rose. She had noticed a balance issue in her blade's weight in her recent sparring Ember along with the bolt of her rifle jamming after extended use. A new, lighter model had been released which she planned on getting as soon as it hit the market as a treat for herself.

 _A much needed upgrade_ , she thought. _A weapon is never finished, that's what dad always told me! I wonder though._ She stared down at the blade of her scythe, lifting the steel in her hands. The metal was cool to the touch, almost uncomfortably cold. How many Grimm had she slain with this? How many more to come? After the breach incident, she feared that number would never end.

Ember had mentioned something about dust infusion within weapons. _How much work could it be to tweak into Crescent?_ A bit of fire dust within the blade could prove extremely useful. _What about interactions with my rounds? I don't want to explode like I did in the courtyard on day one._ She giggled a bit at her first interaction with Weiss, finding the entire experience humorous in hindsight. Resigned that she didn't know enough, Ruby decided to ask Ember the next time she saw her about how to best do that.

A glint in the metal in front of her startled Ruby from her thoughts. The light was far too bright to be a simple reflection of the sun. She stood from her place on the floor to see what the source was, but turned around to find that nothing but empty beds and desk were behind her.

"Hello? Is there something there?" asked Ruby to the emptiness. No reply came back as she paced forward. "Heh. Must be imagini-hmpf?!"

Ruby suddenly, and terrifyingly so, realized she was not alone as a black glove hand reached from behind and covered her mouth. Eyes darted back and forth as she tried to gain a bearing on who the assailant could be, struggling against the pressure of now being held against her will. Ruby clawed behind her, trying to find purchase on anything to dissuade the attacker from holding her.

To her surprise, the assault against Ruby never came. Her struggling slowly stopped as the she came to the conclusion that the hold on her had no malice.

 _It's… gentle? What the hell is going on?_

The hand remained firm as Ruby felt herself slowly spun around to face the stranger, but found herself looking down instead of up. Fear filled her being for a second time as she found herself looking into the eyes of the girl that nearly killed Yang, Neo.

Every instinct told her to continue fighting but Ruby couldn't move. She remained planted in place as her eyes glanced over to Crescent Rose, currently disassembled behind Neo. Even with her weapon, Ruby didn't like her chances. Without her weapon? Ruby knew there was no hope.

 _Of all the times._ Ruby looked back at Neo, who had a wry smile on her face. _If she wanted me dead, I would be. She knows it too. What does she want?_

Neo raised a finger to her lips, paused briefly before tilting her head, then cut across her throat with her thumb. The message was loud and clear from the mute girl. Stay silent or die.

Ruby, unable to do anything else, gave the smallest nod. Happy with the response, Neo removed her gloved hand from Ruby's mouth and to her own blazer, digging through the pocket. And continued searching through the pocket for another minute. After being assaulted not long ago, Ruby couldn't help but be bemused when Neo stomped her foot in annoyance as she patted the rest of her jacket down.

Neo's hand stopped moving across her jacket as she found the item she was here to deliver, raising a small disc in the air in a triumphant display. Looking back up at Ruby, Neo's faced blushed as she handed the disc over. The next instant, a flash of white light filled the room as Neo disappeared leaving a confused Ruby alone once more.

"I.. what? What the hell was that?" muttered Ruby, looking down at the disc in her hand. "And what is this?"

If Neo had made such a bold appearance, on the campus of Beacon which was currently under the protection of a large portion of the Atlesian military, there must have been a reason.

She inhaled deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Against her better judgment, Ruby left Crescent Rose apart on the floor. The chances of another unwanted visitor were slim.

On second consideration, Ruby wanted to avoid another scolding from Weiss and she moved the parts onto her desk before setting into her bunk. Grabbing her scroll that was off to the side, she inserted the disc and tapped at the screen to bring up the data. A swipe here, double tap there, and a folder appeared on the screen. The shock of the name caused Ruby to nearly drop her hold on the device, hands trembling at the words.

 _No. There's no way that's possible. This can't be real. Why… why didn't anyone tell me? No. No. It's a trick._

The scroll's screen glowed dimly as different file windows opened, but the top of the screen had one short name across it.

SUMMER ROSE.

Everything was here, as Ruby composed herself going through each file available to her. Childhood photos, school attendance, her academy transcripts, her Beacon graduation video. Anything that Ruby wanted to know, she could find out about her mother. All the questions that went unanswered for years, even with constant pestering, now lay at her fingertips.

Going through the files only brought about more questions. Each answer brought up another set of unknowns. One outweighed the rest.

 _Where did Neo get these files? Are these even real?_

Ruby was skeptical of everything she looked at, but there were too many coincidences for this to simply be forgery. The time it would take to set up this convincing of a fake… Ruby couldn't fathom the work that would take.

 _Then what good does this do them? Why bring me these files?_

The shock had worn off. Ruby dove deeper into her mother's memories, trying to piece together what growing up with her would have been. Summer's disappearance occurred when she was very young and Ruby remembered fragments, never a full picture. She could remember the soft smile, the fresh baked cookies in the afternoon, the quiet lullaby over the breeze. But she never truly knew her mother. Not like Yang. Not like…

 _Oh god. Dad. Should I tell him? Should I tell anyone?_ Ruby snapped her scroll shut, and ran to her desk. _I have to tell someone right? But what do I say? Oh yes, Neo just dropped in for some milk and cookies and left me a gift. That's completely insane._

 _And what if I wasn't suppose to see these files? Would I get in trouble?_ With practiced hands, Ruby began piecing together the remaining parts of Crescent Rose. Finished, she went to her closet. _I can't let people know I have these. Not yet._ She slipped into one of her skirts. _I need to finish looking through these-_

"Hey Ruby! Where ya going?"

"Eep!" squeaked Ruby at the sudden surprise, losing her balance as she fell into the closet. Her large pile of laundry broke her fall, something she had put off that week. "Who's there?"

"Who else would be in our dorm sis?" chuckled Yang. "You alright? You sound like you saw a ghost."

 _You have no idea._

"Uhh. Yeah. Fine. I'm just... going to the library for a bit!" She pushed herself back up and turned to see an exhausted Yang and Blake. "I hope you didn't wear yourself out for tomorrow."

"Who me? Pssh. I'm more than good to go," said Yang, who thumbed over to her right. "It's this one who called it quits."

"I just thought it would be best if we actually got rest before tomorrow," calmly responded Blake.

"Oh. Well. Good! I… need to go," Ruby said, walking past her sister and teammate, but a hand caught her on the shoulder stopping her progress.

"Ruby, are you sure you're okay?" asked Yang. Ruby turned to see her sister's violet eyes filled with concern. "You've been acting strange lately. It's almost like you've been avoiding us."

Ruby shrugged off her sister, "Yeah. I'm fine. Really. Just need to take of some things."

"If you say-" Yang tried to say, but was cut off by closed door in her face. "So. Rude."

"Give her some space Yang," called Blake over her shoulder, already walking to her bunk. "She'll come to us when she's ready."

Yang just stared at the door, not responding. In her heart, she knew something wasn't right with the whole situation but Blake always knew what was best.

"Alright then."

* * *

In the hallway, Ruby sighed in relief at the avoidance of a confrontation. In her mind, the last thing she needed was a fight with her team.

"Not like anyone of them care anyway," whispered Ruby. Hands covered her mouth the next second as though someone had heard her.

 _Where did that come from? I… it's just . That it's. I'm okay, just stressed._

 _Or coming to a realization?_

She couldn't deny the other voice in her head. There was the smallest bit of truth in the statement. Her team couldn't understand what was going on with her. No one could.

Ruby brought her scroll out again and began peering through the rest of the files on her way to the library.. There was so much she still had to learn.

* * *

Cinder sat atop the roof of the transfer dorm, legs dangling over the ledge. The crisp night air blew through her hair and would had left a chill, but she paid no attention to the cold. There were other topics on her mind, as she stared at the Amity Colosseum that lazily hung in the night sky. Lights sparkled as additional stars in the darkness above. With so much hope and cooperation that went into constructing the marvel, Cinder would what would happen if the object of Remnant's good intentions was swept away.

"I take it you two were successful?" Cinder called to behind her, not bothering to confirm the presence of Mercury and Emerald.

"How does she do that?" whispered Mercury, only to be met by a jab of Emerald's elbow in his side.

"Everything went smoothly. There were no complications, ma'am." answered Emerald.

"Come have a seat you two, it's a beautiful night." The two moved to sit, flanking Cinder. "What do you feel when you look at that?" said Cinder, pointing to the sky.

The question hung in the air, neither knowing how to answer. The pair shared a look of uncertainty before Mercury ended the silence.

"The arena? A joke."

Emerald nodded in agreement. "So many wasted resources that could have gone to other things. It's a meaningless show."

"There's still so much you don't understand. I didn't ask for your opinion. You do know why it was built, yes?"

"It was built for the Festival, as a way to show peace between the kingdoms after the war. All four helped contribute," responded Emerald, as if reciting from text.

Mercury chuckled. "Our resident history nerd, ladies and gentlemen."

Emerald glared at the grey haired boy as Cinder continued, "That's correct. A shining beacon of harmony and peace for all of Remnant. That was the intent. A modern wonder. Now, what about those?"

To the right of the stadium, Atlesian airships patrolled the skies like bees around a hive. Each day, it seemed as though more and more drifted in from Atlas.

"The warships? Ironwood's worked up. After our little breach incident, he's running scared," Mercury said, running his hand through his hair. "Flex a little muscle here, show that they're not weak willed. To regain trust in the common man."

"Ah. Very good again. But you've heard the whispering too, I'm sure," Cinder said, looking to the street below. "While Ironwood's intent may have been that, people are worried. Why would they need such a large presence?"

"They wouldn't. Like Mercury said, they're scared."

"So what does that tell people, Emerald?" Cinder asked.

"That Ironwood knows something that they don't?" Emerald said back, unsure.

"Ah, the distrust in the authority. What a wonderful thing." Cinder stood from her roost, moving to the stairwell. "Two conflicting signs: peace and war. On display for the entire world to see." Cinder laughed. "And tomorrow, we'll get to see what truly wins out in the end."

* * *

The afternoon turned to night as Ruby stared at a monitor in the corner of the library. Dinner had passed by without her attendance and she flipped her scroll off after numerous messages from her friends.

Although, the voices in Ruby's head kept wondering if friends was the correct word. She thought it was, how could it not? Team RWBY went through hell and back again, bonds unbroken. Her discussions with Ember opened up the possibility that not all was at it seemed.

Then there was Neo's appearance. Now these files on her mother. This wasn't adding up.

The deeper she dug into the files, the less sense any of it made. On the surface, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing more than what she thought would be in a scrapbook or photo album. Those filled with happiness and a true sadness of never knowing what life could have been with Summer.

 _But then… these files… What do they mean?_

Summer's mission logs confused Ruby the most. There were very straight forward culling missions, wall duty and other jobs similar to what Ruby had seen on the mission board. But the more recent ones? Ruby couldn't make sense of what they meant.

It wasn't as simple as kill Grimm, protect the people. In fact, there weren't orders as at all, just a mission codename.

 _Codename seasons._ Ruby tapped through more logs. _She was looking for something? Or someone? I can't tell. Her logs are so short and sporadic._ She checked the dates. _She worked on this a long time. Mom… what were you after?_

There was one final file that Ruby had yet to open. An audio file.

 _This… no._ The date was a few days after her disappearance. _Oh god no._

Ruby was shaking. _I need to hear this._ Trembling hands plugged her headphones into the audio jack. She took a deep breathe. And another. _I can handle this_.

She pressed play.

Nothing came through. Ruby slumped back into her chair, relieved at the lack of sound and guilty for being relieved.

 _Maybe this is for the best. I-_

The file abruptly came to life, as the low grumble of white noise hit her ears.

"Is this thing on? God, I hope so," said the sweet voice. It was light and vibrant, but also distressed. Something was wrong.

"Mom?" Ruby said, barely audible. The recording continued, unable to answer her question.

"This is Summer Rose, operating under Codename: Seasons. Time is nineteen hundred. I'm currently outside of Vale, exact coordinates unknown." There was a rumble as rocks fell in the background, followed by a growl. "Ah, screw the formalities. You know what I'm doing. And if you couldn't tell," Summer paused, more growls answered. "I'm in deep. If you're listening to this, we can assume I didn't make it back."

"It's so much worse than we thought. More than we could ever imagine. I… don't know how to explain it, and I don't have much time to try. Just know that we're in over our heads here. Anything and everything relating to Seasons needs to cease at this moment."

"Oz and James. You need to rethink things moving forward. The Grimm are a nuisance compared to this. Evil?" Summer laughed. "You have no idea. This… _thing_. Evil doesn't describe it. I don't know if anything can. But we can't deal with this. Not yet."

"Taiyang, I'm sorry. Sorry I didn't keep my promise this time. I never thought my time would be so soon. And to leave the girls to you? I'm more worried about them than I am you." She laughed again, softly. "I'm kidding. You're a wonderful father. To lose your second wife… I'm so sorry… Try to stay out of trouble, you lug. I love you. And always will."

There was a brief moment where Ruby heard her mother crying, ever so slightly.

"And lastly, my girls. Yang, I know I'm not your biological mother, but you were the best I could ask for in a daughter. Keep on eye your sister."

"Ruby, god I hope you never have to hear this. If you do, forgive me." Ruby choked on those words, eyes blurring with tears. "I don't expect you to, leaving you alone with so many questions. I thought I could balance both of these responsibilities. Heh, I was wrong. And now we're both paying the price."

"Don't believe anything they tell you. Question anything and find the answers for yourself. Trust your friends, but be wary of those around you. I don't want you to end up like me. I... I love you so much, and don't ever forget that."

There was a loud crash in the background followed by the clatter of what Ruby thought to be the recording device hit the ground. Then deafening quiet as the recording ended. Ruby sat in stunned silence, tears still falling from her eyes.

"I love you too, mom."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Tell me what you guys think! As always, Fav/follow/review and let me know what I can do to improve! Still trying to find an editor for this, so bear with me. Thanks for stopping by!**


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